The Town FilesUpper Greenwood Lake, New Jersey
Community in Passaic County · population 3,687 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $376,700
- Household income
- $111,466
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 42.8
Upper Greenwood Lake is a community of 3,687 people in Passaic County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $376,700, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of New Jersey towns, better for families than 89% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 80% of New Jersey towns.
How Upper Greenwood Lake ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Upper Greenwood Lake is worth $376,700, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $111,466, which is more affordable than 65% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,010 a month. 86.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Upper Greenwood Lake | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $376,700 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,010 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $111,466 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.2% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Upper Greenwood Lake
| People | Upper Greenwood Lake | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.5% | — |
| Work from home | 20.2% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 52.8 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Upper Greenwood Lake
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.9 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Greenwood Lake since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 11, 1997 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 11, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 19, 1987.
Severe weather in Passaic County since 1996
Passaic County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Passaic County
Passaic County had 170,830 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,668 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Upper Greenwood Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Towns near Upper Greenwood Lake
- Highland Lakes, NJ4.5 mi · 4,816 people · home $295,300
- Warwick, NY4.9 mi · 6,652 people · home $438,100
- Warwick, NY5.2 mi · 32,027 people · home $458,800
- Greenwood Lake, NY5.3 mi · 2,994 people · home $340,100
- West Milford, NJ5.6 mi · 24,862 people · home $399,700
- Vernon, NJ5.8 mi · 22,358 people · home $331,000
- Ringwood, NJ7.9 mi · 11,735 people · home $449,800
- Sloatsburg, NY9.9 mi · 3,036 people · home $430,800
Upper Greenwood Lake questions
Is Upper Greenwood Lake, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Upper Greenwood Lake scores better for retirees than 41% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 70%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Upper Greenwood Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Upper Greenwood Lake is valued at $376,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,466, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $2,010 a month.
What is the weather like in Upper Greenwood Lake?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.2 inches of precipitation a year and 34.9 inches of snow.
Does Upper Greenwood Lake get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Greenwood Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 11, 1997. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)